Smoked Old Fashioned

Smoky Old Fashioned (Bold, Boozy, and Built for Backyard BBQ)

Exploring BBQ Staff
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The Old Fashioned is timeless. In Texas BBQ country, we take it a step closer to the pit by layering a gentle touch of smoke over bourbon’s caramel, vanilla, and char. This Smoky Old Fashioned is smooth, bold, and aromatic, made for slow sipping while the fire glows and the brisket rests.
A quick note on the smoke: the goal is a whisper, not a campfire. A light smoke rinse, a smoked glass, or a smoked syrup will complement the whiskey and your barbecue without overwhelming it.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Smoke time 2 minutes
Total Time 7 minutes
Servings: 1 Cocktail
Course: Cocktails
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 oz Bourbon (or Texas straight whiskey) 60 ml
  • ¼ oz Simple syrup (1:1 sugar:water) 7.5 ml or ¼ oz demerara syrup for richer body
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • 1 dash smoked or orange bitters optional or 1 small drop liquid smoke (see Pro Tips)
  • 1 large clear ice cube
  • 1 strip orange peel wide, fresh
  • 1 Luxardo cherry optional garnish
Smoke options: smoking gun + chips (post oak, apple, cherry), smoked serving glass, or smoked syrup (recipe below).

Equipment

  • Mixing glass
  • Bar spoon
  • Jigger Shot Glass
  • Hawthorne Strainer or Julip Strainer
  • Rocks glass
  • Torch
  • Wood Chips
  • Small dome or coaster for trapping smoke
  • Vegetable Peeler for orange peel

Method
 

Pre-smoke the glass
  1. Fill your rocks glass with a light cloud of smoke using a smoking gun;
  2. cover with a coaster/dome. Let it sit while you build the drink.
Build & stir
  1. In a mixing glass add: 2 oz bourbon, ¼ oz simple syrup (Bonus Recipe below), 2 dashes Angostura, 1 dash smoked/orange bitters.
  2. Add ice and stir 15–20 seconds until well-chilled and silky.
Strain & garnish
  1. Strain over a large clear cube in your smoked (or chilled) rocks glass.
  2. Express the orange peel over the surface (oils facing the drink), rub the rim, and drop in.
  3. Add a Luxardo cherry if desired.
Bonus Recipe: Classic 1:1 Simple Syrup
  1. In a small sauce pan
  2. Heat 1 cup water just to a simmer.
  3. Stir in 1 cup sugar until fully dissolved (no granules).
  4. Cool, funnel into a clean bottle, label and refrigerate.
  5. That’s it—done in 5 minutes.

Notes

Quick Reference

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Smoke Time: +1–2 minutes (optional)
  • Serves: 1
  • Pairs Well With: Brisket, smoked sausage, beef ribs, bacon-wrapped jalapeños
  • Approx. ABV: ~24–28% (2 oz at ~45% ABV with ~20% dilution)

Description of the Finished Cocktail

Silky bourbon leads with caramel and oak; bitters add spice; orange oils brighten; a hint of smoke ties everything back to the pit. It’s refined yet rugged—a pitmaster’s nightcap that plays beautifully with brisket, beef ribs, and sausage.

What to Look For

  • Cold, clear drink: properly stirred, not cloudy.
  • Subtle smoke on the nose: accent, not the star.
  • Balanced profile: bourbon-forward, light sweetness, lifted by orange oils and bitters.

Pro Tips (Bar-Quality at Home)

  • Less is more with smoke. If using liquid smoke, dip a toothpick tip into it, then stir the drink with that—enough for aroma without bitterness.
  • Use food-safe wood. Post oak (Texas nod), cherry, apple. Avoid pressure-smoking sealed containers.
  • Big, clear ice keeps dilution controlled; use a mold or directional freeze.
  • Demerara syrup (1:1) deepens body and echoes BBQ caramelization.
  • Flamed orange peel (optional): Express oils through a quick flame for extra toastiness—mind safety and keep away from the glass rim to avoid soot.

Variations (Texas-Approved)

  • Texas Split: 1½ oz bourbon + ½ oz rye for extra spice.
  • Smokier (Mezcal Riff): 1½ oz bourbon + ½ oz mezcal, orange bitters.
  • Post Oak Rinse: Swirl a few drops of post-oak-smoked water in the glass, dump excess, then build (super subtle).
  • Peach Pit: Add ¼ oz peach liqueur; great with pork.
  • Chocolate Bitters: Swap 1 dash Angostura for chocolate bitters (killer with burnt ends).
  • Zero-Proof: 2 oz NA whiskey or strong lapsang souchong tea concentrate + ¼ oz demerara syrup + bitters (NA) + orange oils; smoke the glass lightly.

Smoked Syrup (Make-Ahead, 1 cup)

  • 1 cup sugar (white or demerara) + 1 cup hot water → stir to dissolve.
  • Cool, then set in a shallow, wide container.
  • Use a smoking gun to fill the container with a light cloud of post oak smoke; cover 2–3 minutes.
  • Chill, bottle, and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.
  • Start with ¼ oz per drink—adjust to taste.
(No gun? Brew a strong lapsang souchong tea and blend 1:1 with sugar for a tea-smoked syrup.)

Batch It (8 Servings—Smoke at Service)

  • 16 oz (2 cups) bourbon
  • 2 oz (¼ cup) simple or demerara syrup
  • 16–18 dashes Angostura (~2 per drink)
  • 8 dashes smoked/orange bitters (optional)
Method: Combine in a chilled pitcher with ice. Stir 60–90 seconds to pre-dilute slightly. Strain into a clean bottle and keep cold. To serve: Smoke each glass lightly, pour 2 oz over a large cube, express orange peel.

Serving & Pairing Suggestions

  • Best with: fatty brisket, peppery sausage, beef ribs, smoked chocolate desserts.
  • Garnish swaps: lemon peel + cherry (brighter), grapefruit peel (bitter-citrus), or smoked orange wheel.

Troubleshooting

  • Too smoky/bitter: back off smoke; switch to smoked glass or syrup instead of liquid smoke.
  • Too sweet: reduce syrup to ⅛ oz or add one extra dash Angostura.
  • Watery: shorten stir time; use a bigger cube.
  • Not aromatic enough: use a fresh, wide orange peel and express firmly.

Tried this recipe?

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